Station Road Portslade has been a shopping area since around the 1930's,
before then it was a very tranquil high class residential area. The original
shopping area was in North Road Portslade, which is now Industrial.
Portslade-by- sea has its own crest, which was designed in 1920 by P
J W Barker. He owned the drug store and the tobacconist's at 110/112
Trafalgar Road, Portslade.
The Motto means 'Health and Strength'. The Roman Galley, Cornucopia,
Six Sussex Martlets, Grapes and an Oak Branch all signify what Portslade
was known for.
Station Road has altered dramatically over the last hundred years or
so. In 1884 it was called Aldrington Drove, as it was the furthest west
of Aldrington. Before that it was known as Aldrington Lane or Red House
Drove Way, which suggests it was maybe named after Red House Farm further
south past Franklin Road. By 1890 it was called Station Road.
On 7 August 1895 there was a local Inquiry at Hove Town Hall, which
defined the Boundary between Aldrington and Portslade as running down
the centre of Station Road. Station Road was first mentioned in the Directories
in 1896. The roads were untarred, in those days; they were dirty and
dusty and had to be watered down regularly. The horse and carriages caused
most of the dust. That was the only form of transport at the time. However,
there was always a debate over which Council took responsibility - Hove
or Portslade? It would not cause a problem today, as Brighton and Hove
have amalgamated, which includes Portslade.
However as Aldrington is part of Hove, there was some confusion with
the name Station Road, as the Station was known as Portslade Station
not Hove, so why was the Hove side (East) called Station Road. In 1903
it was changed to Boundary Road, Hove. Portslade continued with the name
Station Road, Portslade, which is on the right side (West) going southwards,
and continues to this day with the boundary of Hove and Portslade still
running down the centre of the road, although the Station has been renamed
Portslade and West Hove. It could officially be known as Station Road
now, except the east side would have to have the town as Hove, and the
west side as Portslade. People would then think that there was two Station
Roads, one in each town. Thus better left as it is.
For many years Portslade was the most important parish locally. The
Nineteenth Century tipped the balance and Hove began to expand rapidly.
The houses adjacent to the 'Railway Inn' in 1900, originally called
'Courtney Terrace' have now been pulled down and the pavements widened
to create a parade of shops.
Before Station Road turned into a shopping area, it was a high class
residential area. The residents were gradually moving out and businesses
were slowly moving in.
|